Mold filling mechanism for grid plate casting machines



A. D. LUND MOLD FILLING MECHANISM FOR GRID PLATE CASTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Zjwuwfiw ARTHUR D. LumD Original Filed May 17, 1947 l\ 0 IO Ml mm 1 l I I if Q rm. M

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April 3, 1951 A. D. LUND 2,547,082

MOLD FILLING MECHANISM FOR GRID PLATE CASTING MACHINES Original Filed May 17, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuc/wto'v #:9737012 1). Luzvo April 3, 1951 A. D. LUND 2,547,032

MOLD FILLING MECHANISM FOR GRID PLATE CASTING MACHINES Original Filed May 17, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 awuQ wf ow ARTHUR D. LUND A. D. LUND April 3, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 17, 1947 FIG 5 4RrI/ R'D. Lump Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE MOLD FILLING MECHANISM FOR GRID PLATE CASTING MACHINES Arthur D. Lund, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Solar Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware 9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in machines for casting storage battery rid plates and analagous articles, and more particulariy to improvements in mechanism for filling the molds of such machines with the molten metal.

This is a division from my prior, oo-pending application for Grid "Plate Casting Machine, Serial No. 748,679, filed May 17, 1947, and in that application there is disclosed a machine having cooperating, stationary and movable molds with matrix faces for casting the plates. The molds are moved together face to face and in such position are filled or charged with molten metal poured in from the top. After the metal hardens the molds are then separated to drop out the cooled casting and are moved back together for the next charge. The machine is a production unit operating rapidly and continuouslyto turn out large quantities of plates with but little manu'al attention and it is obvious that the charging and filling of the molds must fit in with the movements of the molds, i. e., must be properly timed, and the exact amount of metal to properly fill the molds must be poured each time.

It is accordingly the primary object of this invention to provide mold charging or filling mechanism operative in synchronism with the mold travel to deliver or ladle a selected volume of molten metal from a melting pot to the molds. Another object is to provide mold filling mechanism which will permit the precise selection of the volume of metal filled into the molds each time, and which has a novel action such as to deliver the selected volume regardless of the varying level of metal in the melting pot. A further object is to provide mechanism of this naturewhich will permit the ladies handling the metal to be elevated out of the pot when the machine is shut down so that the ladies will not becomefrozen in as the metal cools in the pot.

These and other ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent in thecourse of the following specification wherein reference is had'to the accompanying drawings, in'which:

Fig. '1 is a side view of the casting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 1a is a detail view of the actuating and timing cams for the molds and filling mechariism.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine of Fig. 1 but with certain partsbroken'awav and omitted.

Fig 3 is'a'fragmen'tary cross sectional viewsubstantia'lly along the line 3-3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 6-6 in Fig. I.

Fig. 7 is taken substantially along the line in Fig. 5.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are all progressive detail views taken substantially along the line B-8 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the upper part of one stationarymold, and adjacent edge of the melting pot, and showing also the ladle and illustrating in dotted lines its dumping action.

Only so much of the casting machine, per se, as will be necessary to the understanding of the mold filling mechanism will be referred to herein, since other details are described at length in my prior application above identified.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawing, the machine comprises a main frame designated generally at A adjacent one end of which is supported a melting pot B wherein is contained the molten metal used for the castings. For convenience in description this end of the machine is hereinafter considered as the forward end. The castings are made in cooperating stationary molds C and movable molds D, the former being mounted immediately adjacent the rear edge of the pot B. The

molds have matrix surfaces in their meeting faces and when the molds are closed they are filled from the top by mold filling mechanism designated generally at E.

There are two each of the molds C: and D so that the machine casts two plates each operation and the movable molds D are carried upon a carriage lo slidable forwardly and rearwardly upon the frame A in guides II secured to upper edges of the spaced sides 12 of the frame (Fig; '3). This carriage is reciprocated by a main ram or fiuid motor 13 having a cylinder Hi, secured to a cross member l la joining the sides I 2 beneath the carriage, and a rearwardly extending plunger {5 anchored at [6 to a flange l1 depending from the carriage. Fluid is supplied selectively to the opposite ends of the cylinder M, to extend or re tract the plunger l5, through fluid lines l8 and under control of a manually actuatable valve 19 mounted on a rear corner of the main frame. The movable molds-D are further moved toward and away from the stationary molds by shorter rams or fluid motors, indicated at 2%, having cylinders 22! secured at rear ends to an upstanding web 22 on the rear end of the carriage iii. Plungers 23 extend forwardly from the cylinders 2i and are secured at 24 to mounting heads 25 (one for each mold) which are slidable in guides 26 secured atop the carriage. Fluid is supplied to opposite ends of the cylinders 2i through flexible conduits 2? from a control valve 28 also secured on the side of the machine, forwardly of the valve 59. The movable molds are secured on the forward ends of the heads 25.

This arrangement is obviously such that the entire carriage and mold assembly may be moved through a long stroke by the ram l3 to draw the movable molds well back from the stationary molds for adjusting or smoking the molds as pointed out in my earlier application. This is done at any time by actuating the hand valve H]. The normal, shorter working stroke of the movable molds is, however, accomplished by the rams 20 and under control ofthe valve 28. This valve 28 is controlled automatically through mechanism including amotor 29 which is mounted on a base 3&3 carried at the rear end of the machine. The motor drives a speed reducer unit 3i through a belt 32 and driving the belt is a conventional variable speed pulley 33 bywhich the output speed. of the unit 3! may be regulated in a well known manner. The output shaft 34 (Fig. 2) of the unit 3! drives a cam shaft 35 which is journaled in a housing 33 secured to the side of the machine below the valves l9 and 28. As best shown in Fig. 1a there aretwo cams 3i and 38 mounted on the cam shaft inside the housing 36. The cam 38 is fastened by its hub 39 upon the cam shaft 35 while the cam 37 is loose on the shaft but has arcuate slots 40 in which are positioned bolts l! carried .by cam 38. Thus the two cams. rotate with the cam shaft but the angular. relationship between the two may be readily adjusted. The cam-,3! operates the valve 23 as will now be described, while the cam 38 synchronously operates the mold filling mechanisms E as will later appear, and it is for timing these operations with respect to each other that I provide the said cam angle adjustments.

A short rock shaft 42 is journaled in the cam housing 3% and an arm 43 on the shaft carries a roller 4% riding the cam 37. Exteriorly of the housing a lever 45 is mounted on the shaft 42 (Fig. 1) and a retractile coil spring Q6 pulls on this lever to hold the roller 44 on the cam. A short link 41 connects the lever 45 with a rock arm 68 pivoted at its lower end by a shaft 49 journaled in the frame side E2. The upper end of the arm 43 is pivoted at 50 to the rear end of a link rod which extends forwardly to and is pivoted at 52 to an arm 53. Whilethere is a manual override or release for the valve 28, for present purposes it is sufficient to understand that forward and rearward swinging movement of the arm 53 will operate the valve to admit fluid to the opposite ends of the cam cylinders 21 and the arm will, of course, be so moved by the link rod 5i which is moved forwardly and rearwardly by arm 48. The cam 31 controls these movements by its contour and speed and thus the molds may be closed to receive the metal and form the casting, and then opened to dump out the casting, repeatedly and at a selected frequency. The completed castings are carried away by a conveyor system indicated generally at F.

It is believed that the foregoing sufiicientiy describes the, casting machine itself and attention will now be directed to the mold filling or charging mechanism constituting the present inven tion.

As best shown in Fig. 4 the stationary molds each have an upwardly flaring mouth 54 to receive the metal, terminating in a shar parting edge 55 from which there slopes forwardly, and down over the adjacent edge 56 of the melting pot B, a drip return surface 5i. To prevent rearward splashing of the metal the movable molds have hoods or guards 58 on their upper edges.

There are two filling mechanisms, one for each pair of molds, located on opposite forward sides of the machine and since they are essentially duplicates only one will be described and correspending parts of each given the same reference sleeve bearing 55 is the upper part of a parallelmotion operating linkage indicated generally at 6% and which acts as a carrier and includes inner.

and outer arms 6'! and 58 having bearings69 and if! on aligned axes parallel with the bearing 65. A shaft "H is journaled through and between-the bearings 59 and iii and at its inner end this shaft has a fitting 12 in which the cranked supporting arm 13 of a ladle Hi is clamped. The ladle thus travels with the shaft 1 I.

Spaced ears l5 and it are carried by a short sleevell which is rockably mounted on the shaft ll adjacent the outer bearing earl'ii and pivotally mounted on the pin '18 extending between these. ears, eccentric to shaft H, is the upper end of The lower end of the acan actuating rod 19. tuating rod 79 (Fig. l) is pivoted at B0 to one arm of a bell crank lever 82 which is fixed on a rock shaft 83 journaled transversely through the frame sides 12. The opposite end of the shaft 83 carries acorresponding crank lever for simultaneously actuating the feed mechanism on the opposite side of the machine. The remaining arm 84 of the bell crank lever 82 has pivotally attached thereto at 85 the forward end of a con-v necting rod 86 and the rear end thereof is pivoted at 81 to a crank lever 88. This lever has a shaft 89 journaled in the housing36 and interiorly thereof the shaft carries an arm on the end of which is a roller 9| adapted to ride the periphery of the cam 33. A spring 92 (Fig. 2) .iscon nected between the end of the lever 88 and the frame side i2 at 93 and holds the roller 9! in engagement with the cam 38, as will be apparent. Supported on the upper, forward part of the frame side 52, below and forwardly of the bracket 59, is an outwardly projecting stub shaft 94 and oscillatably mounted thereon is the lower arm of the aforesaid parallel-motion linkage, designated this spring is connected to a short link bar llll which is ,pivotally attached at R 2 to theinner car It. The spring thus'exerts a downward pull on the .ears l5 and "i=6 forward of the axis of the shaft ll so that the ears and attached sleeve 11 tend to turn clockwise on the shaftat all times. This movement is normally limited by'theengagement :of a stop surface I33 on the outer ear l5 Withan abutment lii i on the arm Si-as seenin Figs. 8, and 9 particularly.

The ,upper end of the link 93 has integrally formed therewith a bearing sleeve [-95 which journalson the shaft li' inwardly of the sleeve 1'! forming the pivot connection completing the parallel-motion linkage-onthe axesoi the e1ements 6! and H, and 9 and 91. .Also positioned on:the shaft "ii and keyed thereto at 56 (Fig. 6) area pair of spaced sleeves l? and between which fits the sleeve its. These sleeves mland Hi8 aregconnected by and support astop bar [09 and the'sleevel 35 has a tapped projecting lug i It in which,iszth'rea'ded a screw i i iadapted to bear onthisstopbarill ig. 7). The screw iii hasa knurled knob l 32 by which it may be adjusted by handand has a conventional spring looking or detentmechanism lira. inthe path of anabutment or stop suriacei 13 on the rear '55 (Figs. 9 and A .retractile coil spring .i M is stretched between a lug projection ilionthe sleeve it! (opposite the stop bar I99) and a connection l is on the lower end of the link 98.

In what may be called a normal or startingposition for the feed or filling mechanism the parts assume the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 8, and in such position the ladles 14 are lowered into the melting pot B below the level of the molten metal therein'as seen Fig. The rotation of the cam 36 will now periodically actuate the roller 9i to swing the lever 88 tothe left as viewed in Fig. 1 thus exerting a pull upon the connecting rod such-as to turn the bell crank lever82 andattached rock shaft in a counter-clockwise direction. The actuating link l9 will thus be thrust upwardly and from the starting position of the parallel-motion linkage this upward movement of the link will be transmitted through the ears 75 and '56 to the shaft '55 to swing the upper arm part 6b of the linkage in a counter-clockwise direction as will be understood. Thi movement will continue until the abutment H5; on the car 16 contacts the stop bar H39 as seen in Fig. 9 at which point the shaft it will have been moved upwardly to the uppermost limit of its travel. This movement of the shaft ii will, of course, swing the ladie i l upwardly and rearwardly out of the melting pot B to a position over the stationary molds C at which point this travel movementof the ladies will cease. During such movement, however, the ladies have lifted a quantity of molten metal from the melting pot and it will be understood that since this movement of the ladles is controlled by th parallel-motion linkage, it will be accomplished without any tilting action of the ladles such as would cause them to spill any of their contents.

The upward travel of the actuating link '59 continues past/the point seen in Fig. 9 and in so doing now swings the ears '5 5 and 78 about the axis of the shaft 7% to the position shown inFig. 10.

This motion of the ears l5 and is, however,

transmitted to the shaft l! through the engagement of the abutment lit with the stop bar I09 so that the shaft itself is turned through a part of a turnin a counter-clockwise direction after it has reached the aforesaid upper limit of its The. stop barldealsolles swinging motion. This rotary motion of the shaitli, through its crankedoonnection HQ with the fitting filth-en serves to tip the ladle it to its dotted line delivery position as shown in Fig. 1 so that the contents the ladle will oedelivered between the molds. Upon the return downward movement of the actuating link 79 the ears l5 and It will first turn back in a clockwise direction until the stop bar I99 reaches its normal position against the stop screw I i I under the infiuence of the spring H4. This will return the ladle 1 5 to its normal position, seen in full lines. in Fig. 11, and continuation of the downward maven-lent of the link will thenpull the shaft 1] and associated parallel-motion linkage back to starting position due to the contact of therstop suriace with the abutment H14. This completes the cycle of operation and returns theladle to the melting. pot to, gather anew load of molten metal.

The s; are serves to normally biasthe ears l5 and 75 in :aclockwis direction:andsomaintain thestc surface 253% in contact with the abutmentiile as will be readily understood. The tipping.nrotion,.thereiore, is carried out against the resistance of the spring 163 in the transletionof the parts from the "positions Fig. 9 and Fig. .10, and the purpose of the link bar Iiii is to allow this further or tipping motionof the ears and attached elements while keeping the line of tension of the spring forwardly of the axis of the shaft 1 i, so that the ears will be restored to their normal positions andthe ladies returned to their normal operating'angl-e. The function of the spring lid is--to.-bias the stop bar lfli also in a'clockwise direction and cause it to follow the motion back to its normal position of Fig. 7 after the ladlts have been tipped. It will be apparent that the angle of the ladle Id be adjusted .by slightly turning the shaft with respect to the parallelmotion linkage andit is for thepurposeof making' this adjustment that the. screw 8 I l.- is provided. Obviously as viewed in Fig. 11 if :this screwis backed off; the stop bar ace maybe turned slightly in a clockwise direction to change the ladle angle and-vice .versa. The aforesaid up erinost limit of "travel-cf the shaft ll with the parallel motionlinkage is'set and-limited by thestop screw 54 which engages an abutment H9 on'the: arm fil -as seen in Fig. 7.

Each ladle i i has a wide cupped or concaved bottom portion 129, the ends of which are closed by the 'crank connection 13 and by a flange l2i so ithat as'the ladle is lifted fromithe pot B a quantity of molten metal will be carried upwardly in this icuppedibottom. It will be noted that the forward edge 122 of the ladle stands considerably below the rear edge 23 over which the material will spill-as it ,ispoured into the mold andthus that his important that the angleof the ladle doesnot-change as itislifted from the melting pot. Otherwise, material would spill from this lowermost edge and itis, of course, for this reason that I employthe parallel-motion linkage for controlling the travel of the ladle. Obviously, too, the .angleatwhich theladleis adjusted by the screw iii will .varythe level of theedge 122 withrespectto the edge I23 and so quite,precisely control the amountoi molten metal which the ladle will hold. The adjustmentof the stop screw 6A is made so that the travel of the parallelmotion linkage will lift the ladle to a dumping position at which its edge 52% will just tip over the parting edge of the mold to deliver .the molten metal onto thesuriace .54 which will, .of

7 course, guide it between the molds. Any material which may spill upon the edge 55 will be directed by the surface 51 back to the melting pot as will be readily evident. However, since the axis of the shaft H in the dumping position of the parts stands almost exactly aligned with the edge, i255 as indicated at the junction of the lines I26 and 12'! in Fig. 11, the tipping or dumping action will cause the ladle edges I23 to turn over just rearwardly of the mold edge 55 so that there is little likelihood of spillage.

It is desirable, when the machine is shut down, to lift the ladles 1 3 out of the melting pot B so that they will not freeze into the cooling metal,

and also to be able to lift the ladles into the clear of Fig. 9. However, the ladles will continue to tilt in these elevated positions and will thus dump their contents, and afterward remain empty until they are returned to the melting pot, by again turning the handle I32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a mold filling mechanism which will accurately and positively ladle preselected and readily controlled charges of the molten metal into the molds, in proper turned relation to the opening and closing ofthe molds, all as neces- 3 sary to accommodate the mold charging operation to the production characteristics of the machine as a whole.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle V shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of ears rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said ears at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle.

2. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each j ournaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of ears rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said cars at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the'arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to'a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, the other ear having a stop surface for engaging a part of one of the arms carrying the ladle shaft, and a spring connected to the ears eccentrically of said ladle shaft to hold said stop surface in contact with the arm whereby the ears and arms will swing as a unit until the abutment engages the stop member. H

3. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a

ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of ears rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a sing1e upwardly and downwardly movable actuatin rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said ears at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative asit moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, the other ear having a stop surface for engaging a part of one of the arms carrying the ladle shaft, a spring connected to the ears eccentrically of said ladle shaft to hold said stop surface in contact with the arm whereby the ears and arms will swing as a unit until the abutment engages the stop member, and a second spring connected to the stop member to bias the ladle shaft toward a position for leveling the ladle.

l. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of cars rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said ears at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals ofthe arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, wherebywhen the rod' has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, a second support located on the frame of the casting machine below the first mentioned support, an arm journaled at one end on said second support, and a link connected to the end of the last mentioned arm remote from the second support and to the ladle shaft to control the ladle angle as it is moved upwardly by'said actuating rod;

5. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of cars rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said cars at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, an adjustin screw for engaging the said stop member, and means rotatably mounted on the ladle shaft supporting the screw for adjustment with reference to the stop member and thereby adjusting the ladle shaft in its bearings on the arms.

6. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling castin molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of cars rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said cars at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, a second support located on the frame of the casting machine below the first mentioned support, an arm journaled at one end on said second support, a link connected at its lower end to the end of the last mentioned arm remote from said second support, a sleeve on the upper end of the link journaled on the ladle shaft, and an adjusting screw carried by said sleeve for engagement with the said stop member to turn the ladle shaft in its bearings and regulate the ladle angle.

7. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, at ladle shaft journaled in hearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed tosaid ladle shaft, a pair of ears rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movableactuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said ears at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the cars, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of: the arms onthe support, a stop memberfixedto the ladle shaft and an abutment on one-of: the ears-eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, a lug member on the support, and a screw in said lug member adjustably positioned in the path of one of said arms to limit the upward motion of the ladle toward its dumping position.

8. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arms remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of cars rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said cars at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being 50 located that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, a power-operated linkage for operating the actuating rod and manually operated means pivoted on said frame for elevating the actuating rod independently of said power-operated linkage so that the ladles may be held in a raised position out of the molden metal container.

9. In a grid plate casting machine, mechanism for filling casting molds, each comprising a stationary section and a movable section, from an adjacent molten metal container comprising a horizontal support located on the frame of the casting machine at one side of the molds and the container, arms each journaled at one end on said support, a ladle shaft journaled in bearings on the ends of the arm remote from the support, a ladle fixed to said ladle shaft, a pair of cars rotatably mounted on said ladle shaft, a single upwardly and downwardly movable actuating rod pivotally attached at its upper end to each of said ears at a point eccentric to said ladle shaft and operative as it moves upwardly to swing the ears, ladle shaft, ladle and arms about the axis of the journals of the arms on the support, a stop member fixed to the ladle shaft and an abutment on one of the ears eccentric to the ladle shaft, said abutment being so located 1 1 that as the arms rise from the horizontal the abutment approaches the stop member, whereby when the rod has raised the ladle to a position over the mold said abutment contacts said stop member and dumps the ladle, each of said stationary mold sections being mounted on a part of the frame immediately adjacent the molten metal container and having a projection on its rear face overhanging an upper edge of said molten metal container and each of said stationary mold sections having at its top a knife edge with steeply sloping sides so that molten metal spilled on a stationary mold section will not remain thereon but will flow either into the mold cavity or back into the molten metal container.

ARTHUR D. LUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,433,278 Hopkins Oct. 24, 1922 1,936,218 Watkins Nov. 21, 1933 2,028,790 Lund Jan. 28, 1936 2,113,033 Poole et a1. Apr. 5, 1938 2,188,276 Davis Jan. 23, 1940 

